Image processor capable of edge enhancement in saturated region

ABSTRACT

A display device comprises a data zone expansion circuit  16 R expanding a data zone of signal R and a data zone contraction circuit  18 R contracting a data zone are provided at the proceeding and succeeding stages of an image processing circuit  20 R performing an edge enhancement processing. The circuit  16 R performs bit shift of the input signal R to the higher bit side and adds an offset value β to the bit-shifted signal, and the circuit  18 R performs the inversion of this linear conversion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an image processor incorporated in a display device such as a flat panel display device or a CRT display device, or connected to a display device.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] It has been required to improve image quality by processing digital image signals, in company with increase in processing speed of an LSI.

[0005]FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram showing a prior art image display device.

[0006] Digital image signals of three primary colors R, G and B are provided to respective image processing circuits 10R, 10G and 10B to perform filtering processing such as edge enhancement, and the results thereof are provided through a display control circuit 12 to an LCD panel 14 to display pictures on the panel 14. The display control circuit 12 includes a multi-port VRAM and a control circuit therefor.

[0007] However, as shown in FIG. 9, when an edge enhancement processing is followed by clipping in regions where pixels are saturated at the maximum value MAX0 or the minimum value 0, no effect of the edge enhancement processing can be achieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a image processor capable of effectively performing an image processing such as an edge enhancement processing even in a region of saturated pixel values, with a simple construction.

[0009] In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing circuit comprising: a data zone expansion circuit, receiving input data X, expanding a data zone of the input data by linearly converting X to (αX+β), where α and β are given values, providing the data-zone-expanded data (αX+β); and an image processing circuit, performing image processing on the data-zone-expanded data (αX+β).

[0010] In the prior art, when an edge enhancement processing is applied on image data, an image processing effect such as edge enhancement could not be achieved in pixel value saturated regions at the maximum or minimum value. Such an effect can be achieved with this aspect having a simple construction that the data zone expansion circuit is provided at the preceding stage of the image processing circuit, thereby contributing to improvement in image quality.

[0011] Other aspects, objects, and the advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an image display device of a first embodiment according to the present invention;

[0013]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the data zone expansion circuit of FIG. 1;

[0014]FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the data zone contraction circuit of FIG. 1;

[0015]FIG. 4 is a graph showing a result of data zone expansion on data of FIG. 9, wherein an abscissa represents a pixel position on a display line and an ordinate represents a pixel value;

[0016]FIG. 5 is a graph showing a result of an edge enhancement processing on data of FIG. 4;

[0017]FIG. 6 is a graph showing a result of data zone contraction on data of FIG. 5;

[0018]FIG. 7(A) is a block diagram showing a data zone expansion circuit employed in an image processor of a second embodiment according to the present invention;

[0019]FIG. 7(B) is a block diagram showing a data zone contraction circuit employed in this image processor;

[0020]FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram showing a prior art image display device; and

[0021]FIG. 9 is a graph showing an example of image data from which no effect is achieved even after an edge enhancement processing therefor with the display device of FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout several views, preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below.

[0023] First Embodiment

[0024]FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an image display device of a first embodiment according to the present invention.

[0025] Digital image signals in three primary colors R, G and B are provided to data zone expansion circuits 16R, 16G and 16B, respectively.

[0026] The data zone expansion circuit 16R linearly converts an input signal R in a range of 0 to MAX0 to an output signal (α×R+β) in a range of 0 to MAX1 in order to accommodate the output signal with sufficient upper and lower margins. Herein, MAX1>MAX0, and α and β are constants satisfying conditions of α>1 and β≧0. For simplification of a circuit, generally, α=2^(n), n is a positive integer and β is 0 or a positive integer.

[0027] For example, the input signal R is a signal as shown in FIG. 9 having a pixel position on a display line as a time axis, and is converted to a signal shown in FIG. 4.

[0028] The minimum value 0 and the maximum value MAX0 of the input signal R are converted to β and α×MAX0+β, respectively, and the following relation holds in order to accommodate the output signal with sufficient upper and lower margins.

0<β<β×MAX0+β<MAX1

[0029] That is, the converted minimum value β and the converted maximum value (α×MAX0+β) are within the output data range 0 to MAX1.

[0030]FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the data zone expansion circuit 16R.

[0031] The data zone expansion circuit 16R comprises an adder 161 and an offset register 162.

[0032] Assume that the input signal R has 8 bits R7 to R0. A first data input of the adder 161 is of 9 bits, and the R7 to R0 bits are provided to the higher 8 bits D8 to D1 thereof while ‘0’ is provided to the lowest one bit D0. That is, α=2. The second data input of the adder 161 is, for example, of 4 bits, and the output β of the offset register 162 is provided to the second data input. The data output of the adder 161 is of 9 bits and the output of the data zone expansion circuit 16R is 10 bits having the 9 bits of the output and a carry bit C of the adder 161. In this case, the output data length of the data zone expansion circuit 16R is 10 bit for the input 8 bits.

[0033] This applies to cases of the data zone expansion circuits 16G and 16B in a similar manner.

[0034] The Outputs of the data zone expansion circuits 16R, 16G and 16B are provided to image processing circuits 20R, 20G and 20B, respectively.

[0035] The image processing circuit 20R differs from the image processing circuit 10R of FIG. 8 in that a word length of a pixel value to be processed is larger than that of the input signal R. In the image processing circuit 20R, performed is a filtering processing such as edge enhancement or interpolation accompanying zoom in or out of an image. For example, when an edge enhancement processing is performed on image data shown in FIG. 4 by the image processing circuit 20R, data shown in FIG. 5 is got as a result.

[0036] This applies to cases of the image processing circuits 20G and 20B in a similar manner.

[0037] A display control circuit 12 and an LCD panel 14 have the same constructions as those of FIG. 8. Therefore, data zone contraction circuits 18R, 18G and 18B are connected between the respective image processing circuits 20R, 20G and 20B and the display control circuit 12, and perform the inverse of processing of the data zone expansion circuits 16R, 16G and 16B.

[0038]FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the data zone contraction circuit 18R.

[0039] The data contraction circuit 18R comprises a subtracter 181 and an offset register 182.

[0040] The output RI of the image processing circuit 20R is of 10 bits and provided to a first data input of the subtracter 181. The second data input of the subtracter 181 is, for example, of 4 bits and the output β of the offset register 182 is provided to the other data input. The carry C of the subtracter 181 is not used as one bit of the output of the data zone contraction circuit 18R. The output data of the subtracter 181 is of 9 bits DO8 to DO0 and the higher 8 bits DO8 to DO0 are of the output DO=(RI−β)/α of the data zone contraction circuit 18R.

[0041] This applies to cases of the data zone contraction circuits 18G and 18B in a similar manner.

[0042] For example, the data of FIG. 5 having a pixel position on a display line as a time axis is provided to the data zone contraction circuit 18R, and is converted to a signal shown in FIG. 6.

[0043] In the prior art, when an edge enhancement processing is performed on image data shown in FIG. 9, no effect of edge enhancement was achieved in saturated regions at the minimum value and the maximum value of pixels, wile the effect can be achieved according to the first embodiment, leading to improvement on image quality.

[0044] As a result of experiments, in a case where the input signals R, G and B are all of 8 bits and the word length of the output data of the data expansion circuit 16R is of 10 bits, the above described effect of the edge enhancement was able to be achieved when β=2 for the offset registers 162 and 182.

[0045] According to the first embodiment, it has a simple construction in which the data zone expansion circuit 16R and the data zone contraction circuit 18R are provided at stages before and after the image processing circuit 20R, respectively, and image processing can be performed even in the pixel value saturated regions with improved image quality.

[0046] Second Embodiment

[0047]FIG. 7(A) shows a data zone expansion circuit 16RA employed in an image processor of a second embodiment according to the present invention.

[0048] The circuit 16RA is constituted of a 9 bit up-counter. The output of the data zone expansion circuit 16RA has a parallel output obtained by providing one pulse of a clock φ to the clock input CK after a parallel input R7 to R0 is loaded on the counter, and an added lowest bit “0”. The output is 2(R+1)=2R+2 for the input R. That is, α=2 and β=2.

[0049]FIG. 7(B) shows a data zone contraction circuit 18RA employed in the image processor of the second embodiment according to the present invention.

[0050] The data zone contraction circuit 18RA is constituted of a 10 bit down-counter. A parallel input RI9 to RI0 is loaded on the counter, 2 pulses of the clock φ are provided to the clock input CK thereof, and the output of the data zone contraction circuit 18R is obtained from an intermediate 8 bit parallel output DO8 to DO0 excluding LSB and MSB among 10 bits. The output is (RI−2)/2 for the input RI. That is, α=2 and β=2.

[0051] The other points are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0052] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention has been described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0053] Please note that various other kinds of modifications or alterations can be included in the present invention.

[0054] For example, there may be adopted a construction in which the data zone contraction circuit is omitted in FIG. 1.

[0055] Further, a linear transformation in the data zone contraction circuit is not limited to the inversion of the processing of the data zone expansion circuit. Accordingly, the output word length of the data zone contraction circuit may be different from the input word length of the data zone expansion circuit.

[0056] Furthermore, The value of β set in the offset register may be determined according to a lightness or a chroma of image. Fixed values may be provided to the adder 16 and the subtracter 181 without using the offset registers. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An image processing circuit comprising: a data zone expansion circuit, receiving input data, expanding a data zone of said input data, providing the data-zone-expanded data; and an image processing circuit, performing image processing on said data-zone-expanded data.
 2. The image processing circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a data zone contraction circuit contracting a data zone of the image-processed data.
 3. The image processing circuit of claim 1 , wherein said data zone expansion circuit expands said data zone of said input data by multiplying said input data by a constant value and adding an offset value to said input data, and the word length of said data-zone-expanded data is larger than that of said input data.
 4. The image processing circuit of claim 2 , wherein said data zone expansion circuit expands said data zone of said input data by multiplying said input data by a constant value and adding an offset value to said input data, and the word length of said data-zone-expanded data is larger than that of said input data.
 5. The image processing circuit of claim 2 , wherein said data zone contraction circuit contracting said data zone of said image-processed data by subtracting an offset value from said image-processed data and dividing the result of the subtracting by a constant value, and the word length of the data-zone contracted data is smaller than that of said image-processed data.
 6. The image processing circuit of claim 4 , wherein said data zone contraction circuit contracting said data zone of said image-processed data by subtracting an offset value from said image-processed data and dividing the result of the subtracting by a constant value, and the word length of the data-zone contracted data is smaller than that of said image-processed data.
 7. A display device comprising: a data zone expansion circuit, receiving input data, expanding a data zone of said input data, providing the data-zone-expanded data; an image processing circuit, performing image processing on said data-zone-expanded data; a data zone contraction circuit contracting a data zone of the image-processed data; a display displaying input data; and a display control circuit converting the data-zone-contracted data to said input data of said display.
 8. The display device of claim 7 , further comprising a data zone contraction circuit contracting a data zone of the image-processed data.
 9. The display device of claim 7 , wherein said data zone expansion circuit expands said data zone of said input data by multiplying said input data by a constant value and adding an offset value to said input data, and the word length of said data-zone-expanded data is larger than that of said input data.
 10. The display device of claim 8 , wherein said data zone expansion circuit expands said data zone of said input data by multiplying said input data by a constant value and adding an offset value to said input data, and the word length of said data-zone-expanded data is larger than that of said input data.
 11. The display device of claim 8 , wherein said data zone contraction circuit contracting said data zone of said image-processed data by subtracting an offset value from said image-processed data and dividing the result of the subtracting by a constant value, and the word length of the data-zone contracted data is smaller than that of said image-processed data.
 12. The display device of claim 10 , wherein said data zone contraction circuit contracting said data zone of said image-processed data by subtracting an offset value from said image-processed data and dividing the result of the subtracting by a constant value, and the word length of the data-zone contracted data is smaller than that of said image-processed data. 